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Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
       
Archive

Summary of Combined Sewer Overflow
Control Projects


Click on map to enlarge image

WHERE TO FIND CSO INFORMATION ON MWRA.COM

How CSO Facilities Work

Public Health and Environmental Impacts of CSOs

MWRA CSO Notifications

Map of combined sewer outfalls

Annual discharge estimates

CSO CONTROL TMELIINE

PHASE 1

1988-1992 86 active combined sewer outfalls discharged into Boston Harbor and into the Charles, Mystic Neponset Rivers. Early upgrades to CSO treatment facilities (PDF report, 2006).

PHASE 2

1992-1997 Full Deer Island Pumping Capacity reduces CSOs; implementation of Nine Minimum Controls. 1994: Start of Long-term CSO control plan (LTCP).

PHASE 3

1997-2015

Implementation of LTCP which includes 35 projects and reduces CSO discharge in a typical year by 88%, with 93% of remaining volume treated at MWRA's CSO facilities.

Completed CSO Projects 1996-2015

CSO annual reports 2002-2015


2021-2024: CONTINUING WORK

The Final CSO Post Construction Monitoring Program and Performance Assessment Report published in 2021 lists the compliance status of the outfalls and plans for making further progress. Development of an Updated CSO Control Plan for Variance waters. MWRA and CSO Communities continue efforts to Reduce CSOs. Possible deadline extension to 2027.

The Federal Court overseeing the Boston Harbor Project including the Long Term CSO Control Plan, has required MWRA to provide ongoing reports and briefings on the further progress toward meeting the long-term plan goals.

More information:

CSO Annual Report: CSO Discharge Estimates and Rainfall Analyses
Boston Harbor Court Case Compliance and Progress Report/Archive
CSO Variance page
CSO Receiving Water Monitoring Reports